Pundits and fans alike are still very critical of Chelsea’s defence and the quality of their players in important positions on the pitch. Alan Shearer has pointed out specific things that the West London club need to work on if they want to compete for the Premier League title again.
Under manager Liam Rosenior, the Blues have had a rough patch that has dropped them to sixth place in the Premier League. Recent losses to Newcastle United and Everton have brought to light the problems that have been plaguing a defensive unit that has had trouble being consistent this season.
The team are still prone to making costly mistakes in the defensive third, even though they have spent a lot of money on new players over the course of several transfer windows. It’s clear that the club cannot sustain a title challenge because they lack a strong, stable spine.
Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day that he is worried about the lack of top talent in the goalkeeping and central defensive positions at Stamford Bridge right now. The former England captain said that the current team does not have the basic things it needs to compete with the best teams in European football.
“Chelsea haven’t got a top class goalkeeper, and they haven’t got a top class centre half despite the money that they’ve spent, and until they get that, they’re not going to compete.”
Shearer’s opinion comes at a time when Chelsea fans are growing increasingly upset that things aren’t improving, even though the owners have put a lot of money into the team. Players like Wesley Fofana have shown flashes of potential, but they haven’t yet proven themselves to be the strong leaders that a championship-winning defence need.
Chelsea’s Defence Still Having Problems Under Liam Rosenior After Bad Results
The London club recently lost 3-0 to Everton at Goodison Park, a result that was very demoralising and showed how weak their defence is. This result came after a close loss to Newcastle United and a big loss to the French champions in the Champions League round of 16.
Robert Sanchez and Filip Jörgensen have both failed to fully convince as the long-term solution between the posts for the two-time European champions. If the club’s management want to get back to the top of English football, they might need to make getting proven defensive leaders their top priority during the summer transfer window.